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Russia Passes a Law the American Left Will Love

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Trying to verify this, but there is word from Russia that Vladimir Putin is going to sign, or has signed, a law that severely restricts religious freedom .

Christians in Russia won’t be allowed to email their friends an invitation to church or to evangelize in their own homes if Russia’s newest set of surveillance and anti-terrorism laws are enacted.

The proposed laws, considered the country’s most restrictive measures in post-Soviet history, place broad limitations on missionary work, including preaching, teaching, and engaging in any activity designed to recruit people into a religious group.

To share their faith, citizens must secure a government permit through a registered religious organization, and they cannot evangelize anywhere besides churches and other religious sites. The restrictions even apply to activity in private residences and online.

 

Sterilizing the public square of all religious speech? Forcing Christians to “keep it in church, behind closed doors?” Making it illegal to “shove your religion in my face” by inviting someone to church? It’s an American leftist’s wet dream.

Comments

  1. I haven’t seen this either, but it doesn’t sound right, as Putin and company have had good ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.

  5. Putin is one of the staunchest defenders of Christianity from moslem savages. This might have to do with undercutting fake US NGOs that try to subvert and sabotage civilization.

  7. The Russian Orthodox Church will be left alone. What few Protestant congregations exist in Russia will also probably be left alone, if history is any indication. If any Christians will be targeted by this, history once again suggests that will be Catholics.

  8. So, when you wrote this:

    Sterilizing the public square of all religious speech? Forcing Christians to “keep it in church, behind closed doors?”

    … what did you mean?

    As far as reconciling with this:

    The concern is that the law would be selectively enforced

  10. @ Pawfurbehr: Relations between Catholics and Orthodox in Russia have always been touchy. This has a lot to do with the fact that Poland and Lithuania, which were traditional enemies of Russia, are and have been Catholic countries for ages. There’s also the whole Pope thing: Russian Orthodoxy obviously rejects the primacy of the Pope over the universal church, and Catholics and Orthodox were throwing down over differences in doctrine long before Catholics and Protestants did. The rejection of the Pope- combined with their small numbers- meant that the leadership of Russia had little reason to go after Protestants; indeed, certain Orthodox-produced graphics that depict Christian schisms actually depict the Protestant Reformation as a movement towards Orthodoxy.

  11. Thank you, Sean, that’s a great summary!

    Although I don’t practice, as a descendant of an Apostolic sect that pre-dates the Romans by several decades, I’ve always had a tendency to think of Catholics, Orthodox, and the myriad of pre- and post-Enlightenment spinoffs all as “Protestant” groups, and so it’s been hard keeping straight who fought who, when and why.

  12. Mr. Ed Warrrd has come in from his yarrrrd to call brand Mr. V the K a liarrrrr and s-s-s-snaaaake. Why?

    I suspect it is because the headline: Russia Passes a Law the American Left Will Love stuck in Mr. Ed Warrrd’s craw.

    The only religion the American Left supports is Islam and helping it weave its Sharia culture control into the body politic. The American Left, being fascistic and superior to things they abhor are in awe of Muslims who have perfected the process of stamping out what peeves them. For them tolerance means “do as we demand” and diversity means “situational consistency.”

    So, Mr. Ed Warrrd, the fascist, has nothing of note to say, he just feels the need to emote and begone. Ah, there is the ideal. Be gone.

  14. Putin has very good relations with the HUGE Muslim population–just not the kind that like explosives. He cultivates that good relationship and, in exchange for providing them a stable environment, they support him. The largest mosque in all Europe (and it’s stunning), holding 10,000 worshipers was just completed a few years ago on prime Moscow real estate just a few miles from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
    What Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church don’t like is the church of Scientology and other sects but also the Catholic Church. Russia has a long history of “Catholic” nations invading Russia plus the Catholic church’s obsession with “saving” Russians from the Orthodox Church. Putin and many Russians have seen what western Christianity brings with it and they don’t want it in their country. As far as they are concerned only Orthodoxy has ever provided a stable foundation for their country and, though they’re not going to completely eliminate religious freedom they’re going to keep moving the goal post to make sure corruptions like Scientology and Roman Catholic proselytizing have fewer and fewer advantages.

  15. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/putin-signs-law-to-bolster-russian-surveillance-angering-edward-snowden/2016/07/07/4d307aca-443e-11e6-a76d-3550dba926ac_story.html

    Unsurprisingly, V the K is honest. As the Washington Post puts it:

    The measures will…limit proselytizing, to representatives of registered religious groups. Pacifist religious organizations, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, complain they have been targeted by laws aimed at violent groups.

    As to “Putin and company have had good ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.” – They would be the main “registered” religious group, one supposes.